Afternoon Tea - A Feast For A King And Queen
Afternoon Tea at Mimi’s Bakehouse in Edinburgh.
Dear Diary,
By now, you know of my deep love for scones. They definitely deserve their own spotlight.
But let me tell you, there’s a way to take them to the next level.
Combine them with sandwiches and sweet delights, then arrange them on an étagère and you are in food heaven!
There’s probably nothing more British than the traditional 4 o’clock afternoon tea. A very popular pastime indeed that isn’t solely reserved for the posh people as one might think.
Afternoon Tea Tradition
So where does this pretty unique tradition come from?
It might feel as if afternoon tea has been around for ages, however, it wasn’t until the 19th century that it became a custom.
Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, introduced it in 1840. The reason for this is quite simple. She got hungry every day at around 4 pm. And with dinner still being 4 hours away, there was a long gap between lunch and dinner.
So she requested a light snack in between. Some bread and butter, and cake alongside a nice cuppa. Soon this became a habit which she shared with her friends.
And not long after the snack was turned into a big social event for the upper class. Women would put on their best dresses to enjoy their afternoon tea ceremony in the drawing room.
Nowadays, it’s offered in many hotels and cafes around the world. And it has definitely moved on from being a light snack.
The Afternoon Tea Basics
As mentioned, the afternoon tea is served on a three-tier tea stand.
Each tier is dedicated to a particular type of food. And there’s a lot of it! First-timers can get confused, not being quite sure where to begin.
Is it top-down or bottom-up?
There’s a debate on that but your starter is set - always bottom first and finishing off with the sweet treats.
I like to move up the ranks. Some might go from bottom to top and then back down to the middle. Each to their own.
But let’s take a look at the different tiers.
Bottom Tier - Sandwiches
On this level, you’ll find your selection of savoury sandwiches.
You’ll usually get three different fillings in between slices of white bread. The sandwiches are cut in bite-sized ‘fingers’ with the crust trimmed off.
The fillings are no fuss and kept relatively simple. There’s egg mayonnaise with cress, cucumber and butter, mustard and ham, cheese only and sometimes salmon with dill.
Middle Tier - Scones
The middle part is reserved for the scones, both plain and fruited. Of course, they are accompanied by jam and clotted cream.
Check out my recent blog post to learn more about scones and whether you ought to put cream or jam first (I am team cream first).
Top Tier - Cakes & Pastries
On the top of the étagère, you’ll find a selection of cakes and pastries.
There’s no set menu for this level.
So it could be anything from traditional English teacakes such as Victoria sponge or carrot cake to petit gâteaux, cupcakes and tarts. Quite often depending on the season as well.
The Drink
Your drink of choice has to be a proper brew. It should be loose-leave (black) tea in a teapot. And of course, served in china tea cups. A bit of kitsch is allowed here …
I prefer a strong Assam tea. But you might go for a Darjeeling, English Breakfast or Earl Grey.
Some Afternoon Tea Etiquette
Eat with your fingers! The only time this is actually allowed.
Pinkies down when you hold your cup. It looks rather silly.
Milk goes in first in your tea to protect the delicate china.
No tea dunking of any kind.
The perfect excuse to dress up. Though smart casual is acceptable.
A Special Treat
For me, afternoon tea is a special occasion. Nothing I would do on a regular basis.
So, if I’m going to treat myself, I might as well go full-on and opt for a luxurious version.
This basically means a glass of champagne (or two) and an elevated assortment of food.
The sandwiches might be made of brioche, rye or even sourdough bread instead of white bread. They can be filled with egg and truffle, coronation chicken or roast beef with horseradish and whatnot. I also had a gourmet sausage roll once and miniature haggis bonbon.
I well remember the Irn Bru scones, which I thought was a great idea as well as ones flavoured with Earl Grey tea. Instead of the humble strawberry jam you might get flavour combinations such as raspberry and rose, ginger and rhubarb or blackberry and vanilla.
And on the top tier, you’ll find high-level French petit fours to die for. Macarons, Valrhona chocolate tart, madeleines, eclairs, religieuse - the sky is the limit.
If you haven’t had your afternoon tea yet, you’re missing out!
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”